Extension plug wrench



Feb. 28, 1961 T. MlLANOVlTS ETAL 2,972,920

EXTENSION PLUG WRENCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 29, 1959 EXTENSIONPLUG WRENCH Thomas Milanovits, Crestwood, and William T. Milanevits,Richmond Heights, Mo., assignors to M. Mfg. Co., Manchester, Mo., acorporation of Missouri Filed June 29, 1959, Ser. No. 823,573

3 Claims. (Cl. 81-72) This invention relates to extension wrenches, andwith regard to certain more specific features, to such wrenches forapplying threaded plugs in inaccessible locations.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision ofan extension wrench adapted for convenient application to and releasefrom the sockets of threaded plugs such, for example, as are employedfor closing otf abandoned pressurized branch gas lines and the like; theprovision of a wrench of the class described which can be operatedwithout fluid leakage from the line being operated upon; and theprovision of a wrench of the class described which requires no finickyoperations in order accurately to apply and remove it to and from theplug to be threaded into place or unthreaded, as the case may be. Otherobjects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed outhereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations ofelements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which willbe exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possibleembodiments of the invention is illustrated,

Fig. l is an axial section illustrating the invention attached to a plugand inserted through an appropriate adaptor;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view of certain parts shown at the lower end of Fig. 1 butremoved from the plug;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the par-ts in assembledarrangement, their positions illustrating conditions prior toapplication to a plug;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing a preliminary step 7 in theapplication of the wrench to a plug to be threaded home;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing said plug threaded home;and,

Fig. 7 is a cross section of certain parts showing a final cappingoperation.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown, forexample, at numeral 1 a gas main under pressure, in which is an opening3 leading to a spud 5 for attaching a valved branch line. In the spud 5is located a conventional gate valve, shown diagrammatically at numeral7. At numeral 9 is shown a nipple.

Sometimes it becomes desirable to abandon a branch line, in which eventit may be desirable to retrieve equipment such as the valve 7 andconnected line parts by removal from the spud 5. To this end the spud 5is generally internally threaded, ,as shown at 31, for the reception ofa threaded plug such asshown at 13.. Such a plug is provided with asquare socket 15 for the recep-v tion'of a square end extension wrench.The problem socket 15.

2,972,920 Patented Feb. 28, 1961 then is to anchor the plug 13sufliciently securely and accurately on the wrench that the plug can beintroduced through devices such as the nipple 9 and valve 7 forthreading application to the spud threads 11. To this end it has beenthe practice heretofore to wedge the ordinarily solid square end of awrench into the socket 15 by various makeshifts, such as caulking thewrench into the socket 15, or the like. This was not only troublesomebut unreliable.

The invention consists of a tubular element 17 having a bearing thimblel9 pressed in at one end. Near its other end it is counterbored, asshown at 21, to provide an internal shoulder 23 upon which rests asecond pressed-in bearing 25. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the tubularelement 17 is provided with a slotted portion 27.

Within the tubular element 17 is located a pull rod 29, supportednon-rotatably but slidably in the bearings 19 and 25. This rod isthreaded at its upper end, as shown at 31, for the threaded reception ofa draw or wing nut 33. At its other end this rod 29 carries a conicalhead 35 adjacent which is a crosspin 37, extending outward from oppositesides of the re 1 On the pull rod 29 is located a sliding collet 39(Fig. 3) formed at one end as a circular collar 41, from which extendspringy semicircular legs 43 formed by opposite gashes 45 terminating inopposite holes 47. A resilient O ring 42 surrounds the pull rod 29adjacent the collar 41. The legs 43 carry conjugate head blocks 49. Eachblock comprises a rectangular part 51 with a stepped extension 53. Eachhead block 49 at its opposite end is formed with an inner semiconicalportion 55. The semiconical portions 55, when sprung toward one another,are adapted to be conically engaged by the conical head 35 or" pull rod29. The rectangular parts 51 are chamfered on their lower margins, asshown at 52. V

The slots 45 are adapted freely to receive the ends of the crosspin 37.The stepped extensions 53 are adapted for location in the cross slot 27.These conditions are shown in Fig. 4. In this view the pull rod 29 islocated in the tubular element 17 and the wing nut 33 applied to thettreads 31 (Figs. 1, 5 and 6). The O ring 42 lies against theshoulder-forming bearing 25 in a'position to be squeezed by the end ofthe collar 41 during the operational steps which occur between theconditions shown in Figs. 4 and 1.

On the end of the tubular element 17 is a grip-forming handle 57, heldin place by a set screw 59. Thus the wing nut 33 and handle 57 areadjacent. Carried captively on the tubular element 17 is a threadedbushing 61 in which is a packing gland 63 surrounding element 17.

Operation is as follows:

The wrench, with itslower parts in the condition shown in Fig. 4,wherein the wing nut 33 has been loosened, is applied to an adaptor 65by threading the bushing 61 to said adaptor, as shown in Fig. 1. Thenthe lower parts in their condition shown in Fig. 4 are thrust into thesocket 15 and the wing nut 33 screwed home against the bearing 19.During the thrusting operation the charnfers 52 guide and pinch theparts 51 inward for springing entrance into the socket 15. Turning ofthe wing nut 33 draws in the rod 29, so as to force the wedge-shapedhead 35 into the conical portions 55,

thus spreading the parts 51 into radial gripping 'engagement with thesides of the socket 15. The slots 45 freely admit the extensions of thepin 37 and prevent turning of the rod 29 in tube 37 in response to twistfrom the wing nut 33. The parts are then in the condition shown in Fig.1, wherein the plug 13 is positively in clutched position around theradially expanded parts 51 in the Next, as shown in Fig. 5, the adaptor65 is screwed to the nipple 9, the valve 7 at this time being closed.Next the valve 7 is opened, as shown in Fig. 6, and the element 17pushed inward through the packing gland 63 until the plug 13 is adjacentthe threads 11. T hen the wrench is turned from the handle 57, so as toapply the plug 13 to said threads 11.

Next, while holding the handle 57 in one hand, the wing nut 33 may bebacked oit. This releases the wedge 35 from the gripping members 51,which become relieved from the sides of the socket 15 in the plug 1 3.Then the wrench may be withdrawn axially upward [through the bushing 61,and the adaptor 65 unthreaded from the nipple 9. The system is then incondition for removal of the valve '7 and the application of aprotective cap 67, as illustrated in Fig. 7.

The purpose of the packing 63 is to prevent leakage when the valve 7 isopen and prior to application of the plug 13 to the threads 11. Thepurpose of the 9 ring 42 is to prevent any outward leakage between thepull rod 29 and the tubular element 17. It will bev understood that thisring is axially squeezed between ring 41 and shoulder-forming bearing 25as the wing nut 33 is tightened.

Advantages of the invention are:

(1) Rapid and convenient means for applying and removing the wrench toand from plugs to be manipulated;

(2) Leakproof operation during manipulations;

(3) Simple, accurate and convenient means for maintaining the plug infairly accurate alignment for starting its threads into the threads suchas 11; and,

(4) Squeezing and pressing the ring radially against the pull rod 29 atthe time the collet 39 is inserted into the socket 1S and drawn intowedging position by action of the draw nut 33 on the pull rod 29.

With prior makeshift means for applying a square member to a socket suchas 15, there was a common tendency for a plug such as 13 to be tilted,making difiicult threaded application to threads such as 11. By means ofthe invention, accurate application and alignment of the plug 13 on thewrench is at all times readily obtained. Although the invention isdescribed in connection with plugs such as 13, having square sockets 15,the same principles may be applied to plugs having sockets of otherpolygonal forms.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constmctions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

We Claim:

1. An extension wrench comprising a tubular elemen having a handle gripat one end and a slotted portion at the other end, a pull rod extendingthrough said tubular element and having threaded means adjacent thehandle grip for the reception of a threaded draw nut, said pull rodhaving a crosspin and a wedge on a portion extending from the other endof the tubular element, a resilient split collet on said pull rodadjacent said wedge, said split collet being formed with slots providingsep arate polygonal members and having means effecting an interlockingdriving relationship with said slotted portions on the tubular element,said slots receiving said crosspin to prevent rotation of the pull rodin the tubular element upon rotation of the draw nut, said polygonalportions carrying conjugate wedge portions adjacent said wedge on thepull rod adapted to be driven apart by the Wedge for transversemovements when the pull rod is moved axially by said draw nut.

2. A wrench according to claim 1, including adjacent shoulders on thetubular element and the collet, and packing means constituted by an 0ring between said shoulders adapted to be squeezed therebetween whensaid wedge means actuates the collet.

3. A Wrench according to claim'Z, including an erternally threadedbushing having internal packing means slidable on said tubular element.

References (fitted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS915,325 Bartol Mar. 16, 1909 1,058,454- Moores Apr. 8, 1913 1,851,421Conklin Mar. 29, 1932 2,233,232 Wilkinson Feb. 25, 1941 2,729,998 DelisoJan. 10, 1956 2,731,041 Mueller Ian. 17, 1956

